The Most Important Political Issue
Written by Jake on January 17th, 2008 in Economy, Health Care, Society.
Show me the candidate who has a viable plan for attacking the problem of runaway medical costs and I’ll show you the candidate who has my vote.
I was reading one of Ariana Huffington’s posts this morning. It had to do with a recent presidential candidate debate. She spoke about how Hillary brought Iraq back to the surface and how Obama responded. Ariana seems to think that Hillary should keep Iraq front and center as opposed to the Economy issue. No doubt, Iraq and the Economy stand out as the two central issues of the upcoming presidential campaign. Which one is more important to an individual voter is, I suppose, dependent upon that voter’s family situation. But there is one issue, a subset of ‘Economy,’ that will, if left untreated, split America and drive an even bigger wedge between the ‘haves’ and the ‘have-nots.’ I’ll wager that spiraling health care costs will push more people into the ‘have-not’ category than any other single issue to date.
I tend to agree with folks like John Edwards who have said that Health Care is an overriding concern of the middle class. I’m not saying that he has the answer — probably not — but this one issue is the cause of much pain, suffering, and heartache within our country. Both my wife and I freelance for a living. As such, neither one is eligible for an employer-sponsored group plan. I assure you that the cost of privately funded, individual health care plans, if left unchecked, will eventually wipe out our savings accounts.
Lest you think that I’m exaggerating, here are the particulars. I’m just over 50 and in very good shape. No medical problems. So is my wife, Mandy, except that she suffers from Multiple Sclerosis — as do hundreds of thousands of Americans. She takes a daily injection to help keep exacerbations somewhat under control. Our out-of-pocket health care costs, including our portion of injectable daily medications and assuming that we use up our deductibles, will total nearly $30,000 this year. I mention that because it’s one thing to talk about the health care crisis; it’s another to have a dollar figure put upon it. More people can relate to the dollar cost.
One need only look at the news to know that Americans are losing jobs in great numbers. Just look at the casualties of the ongoing mortgage / banking meltdown. Many of those are baby-boomers who, as a group, are marching lockstep into their 50’s and 60’s. Too many of them will be unable to find new jobs and, as such, will decide to freelance. The number of such unplanned freelancers is growing by leaps and bounds.
What is to happen to all those people who had company-sponsored health insurance when they’ve used up their COBRA benefits? You’re only a pink slip away from finding out for yourself.
Ariana’s post can be found here.
January 17th, 2008 at 3:56 pm
Jake, we think alike. I am a fellow self-employed freelancer, although in music, and face extraordinary costs related to healthcare expenses. Like Mandy, I have multiple sclerosis and utilize one of the self-injectable medications which my insurance plan will not cover.
The rules are quite different in how group (employer-sponsored) plans and individual plans may be structured. The general public who are ’safe’ in their group policies need to know that not all insurance is created the same.
What does it matter that the presidental candidates speak of universal coverage, or individual mandates, or tax credits, when the larger economic issue of costs arising from healthcare services is weighing more heavily on the middle-class individual?
In 2006 (after being rejected an appeal for necessary financial assistance in obtaining a $21,000 MS medication), I literally spent $16,000 on medication alone while juggling income to a level of less than $20,000. But with that income, I was fortunate enough to be deemed ‘needy enough’ to receive that $21,000 med for 12 months. Now, it’s time to reapply once more. We’ll see just how needy they say I am now.
Actually, I blogged about this today…
Value of Money or Value of Health - What do you See?
January 20th, 2008 at 1:13 pm
I am in exactly that position.
I got laid off. As an older (53) person with MS affecting my mobility, I figure I’ve worked for my last employer. I might know MS doesn’t define me but I’m not the one doing the defining. There’ll always be someone younger, healthier and faster than me. They might not be as knowledgeable as me but people can’t see the inside of my head.
I’m now on COBRA and once it runs out, I’m screwed.
So now I podcast.
February 21st, 2008 at 2:22 am
It is hard for healthy, employed people to “get” this. I have good ins., I have MS, had ovarian cancer, and without my ins., I’d be bankrupt. Even with it, deductibles are so high I am no longer middle class in expensive Seattle, a hospialization of one day cost ME $2300.00, had to pay for a 2nd power chair myself–$5,000.00 and van service is $80 for a 5 block ride both ways, X Drs., Exams, Dentist, Glasses, adds up fast.